Self-propelling steam-crane



(No'Model A. W. ROBINSON.

SELF PROPELLING STEAM CRANE.

No. 582,766. Patented May 18,1897.

wwmw

3144mm to'a (4 I 33M] Gwen MW UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ARTHUR \V. ROBINSON, OF MILXVAUKEE, VISCONSIN.

SELF-PROPELLING STEAM-CRANE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,766, dated May 18, 1897.

Application filed February 16, 1897. $erlal No. 623,726. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern- Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. ROBINSON, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, and a resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Propellin g Steam-Cranes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, primarily, to improvements in the apparatus for swinging the boom of steam-shovels and for propelling it upon the track, but it isalso capable of application to other machines in which. a swinging boom is employed and which is also propelled upon a track, whether it be a steam-shovel, derrick, traveling crane, or similar apparatus.

In the drawings the same reference-letters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of a steamshovel in which the special parts referred to only are shown, the driving-engines and boiler being omitted for the sake of clearness. Fig. 2 illustrates a side elevation of the same, but in it the driving-engines and boiler are shown in outline. Fig. 3 illustrates a cross-section of the car-frame of the steamshovel, showing the swinging and propellin g shaft and method of operating.

The objects of this invention are to simplify and improve the machinery for swinging the boom and propelling the truck on a track, so that these operations can be performed with fewer parts and in a more direct and efficient manner, and also the removal of the parts of the apparatus from the platform of the car and locating them beneath it, thus saving space where most needed and facilitating repairs.

A is the car frame or platform to which the machinery is attached.

B is the crane or boom, which it is desired to swing or revolve by means of the turn-table 0.

D is a pair of engines placed upon the car and geared to the hoisting-shaft by means of a spur-gear E.

F is the hoisting-drum, generally loose on its shaft and driven from the hoisting-gear E by a friction-clutch in the usual way.

G is a shaft underneath the car, which is driven from the hoisting-shaft by a pair of spur-gears H and H. This shaft is hollow,

having a hole through its entire length for a purpose hereinafter to be described. The shaft G is carried in two bearings J and J. Two winding-drums K and K are mounted loosely upon the shaft G, preferably near its ends, and are driven from it by frictionclutches L and L. These friction-clutches may be of the cone, toggle-joint, or any other well-known type which will answer the purpose, and their operating parts are connected together by means of a spindle M, which extends through the hole in the shaft above referred to, so that they can both be operated by one connection and one lever, the friction on one side being applied while the other is released, and vice versa. A rope or chainN N is carried from each of the drums and connected to the turn-table, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and two idler-sheaves N are placed in suitable position to carry the rope or chain, so as to bring it in line with the plane of the turntable.

0 is a double sprocket-wheel placed at about the center of shaft G and runs loosely thereon. It can, however, be driven from the shaft G at any time by the clutch P. The double sprocket-wheel O is connected to the axles of the front and rear trucks by means of drivechains Q and Q, suitable sprocket-wheels R and B being keyed to the truclcaxles for the purpose.

The operation of the apparatus is clear. The crane can be revolved at any time to the right or to the left by operating the frictionclutches L and L, which, as above explained, are preferably controlled by the same lever. In the drawings the drum is shown grooved for wire rope, but it is obvious that a chain or any other equivalent form of connection may be used. The shaft G is shown in Fig. 3 to be carried in two bearings, the drums being overhung upon the ends. This shaft, however, may be carried in four bearings, if desired, having two additional outboard-bearings near the ends of the shaft when it is used in locations requiring a great length; but ordinarily I prefer to employ but two bearings, for the reason that they are more readily maintained in line.

In order to keep the drums K and K in their relative position and to keep the swinging ropes N taut, it is sometimes necessary to employ a tail-rope S, passing around two sheaves S and S 'The ends of this rope are connected to the drums K and K at the opposite ends to which the swinging ropes N are attached, the tail-rope winding on the drum while the swinging rope unwinds, and vice versa. Suitable arrangements are also made for adjusting the tension of the ropes.

By the construction claimed the propelling and swinging shaft G is located entirely underneath the floor of the car, which arrangement has a twofold advantage. First,it places the parts out of the Way, so as to leave the floor of the car more free and unobstructed, and, secondly, the shaft, with all its attachments, is more easily removed from the car for examination and repairs.

I claim 1. In a steam-shovel or like machine, the combination of a hoisting-drum and actuating mechanism on the platform of a car and a shaft having drums for swinging the boom beneath the platform driven from the shaft of the hoisting-drum, for the purposes set forth.

2. In a steam-shovel or like machine, the

combination of a hoisting-drum and actuating mechanism on the platform of a car, a shaft having swinging drums beneath the platform driven from the shaft of the hoisting-drum, and propelling mechanism on the shaft of the swinging drums, for the purposes set forth.

In a traveling steam-shovel or like machine, a hollow shaft having at or near its ends, drums for swinging the boom, a clutch mechanism, the rod whereof is located within said hollow shaft, and so arranged that its longitudinal movement in opposite directions will engage and disengage the clutches respectively, a wheel adapted to actuate propellin g devices, loosely mounted on said shaft, and a clutch for said wheel, for the purposes set forth.

Signed at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of IVisconsin, this 10th day of February, A. D. 1897.

ARTHUR \V. ROBINSON.

\Vi tn esses:

J. M. 1\IILLMAN, JOHN C. WILLIAMs. 

